April 22, 2025 • 32 mins
In this episode, we'll explore unique NYC museums including George Washington's favorite tavern, massive Unicorn tapestries dating back to the 1400s, and even what it was like to live in the cramped tenement buildings as an immigrant in New York in the 1860s.
- Museum of the Dog
- Fraunces Tavern Museum
- Museum at Eldridge Street
- Museum of Jewish Heritage
- New York Transit Museum
- The Met Cloisters
- Tenement Museum
1- Museum of the Dog
- Founded in 1982, originally part of the AKC headquarters (American Kennel Club)
- The museum offers rotating exhibits featuring objects from its 1,700-piece collection and 4,000-volume library
- Limited-time exhibits have included:
Price: Around $15. Get tickets here. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
2- Fraunces Tavern
- Oldest bar and restaurant in NYC - 1762
- On December 4, 1783, nine days after the last British soldiers left American soil, George Washington invited the officers of the Continental Army to join him in the Long Room of Fraunces Tavern to bid them farewell.
- In early 1785, Fraunces agreed to lease the Tavern to the Confederation Congress for use as office space for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of War
- Currently has multiple restaurants and bars within it
Price: Around $10, with some free admission options on weekends. Tickets are only available at the museum, but information is available here.
3- Museum at Eldridge Street
- The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the historic Eldridge Street Synagogue. Built in 1887, it is an architectural marvel, and a symbol of immigrant aspirations realized. The Eldridge Street Synagogue was the first synagogue in America purpose-built by immigrants from Eastern Europe and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996
- Unbelievably beautiful architecture, including ornate stained glass
- Extremely knowledgeable guides, usually small-ish groups
Price: Around $15 and we recommend the docent-led discovery tour vs self-guided (same price). Get tickets here.
4- Museum of Jewish Heritage
- As a place of memory, the Museum enables Holocaust survivors to speak through recorded testimony and draws on rich collections to illuminate Jewish history and experience. As a public history institution, it offers intellectually rigorous and engaging exhibitions, programs, and educational resources.
- If you go on a weekday, expect students on field trips
- The Rescue in Denmark exhibit is one of our favorites
Price: Around $18. Get tickets here. Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays.
5- New York Transit Museum
- Housed underground in an authentic 1936 subway station in Downtown Brooklyn, is home to a rotating selection of twenty vintage subway and elevated cars dating back to 1907.
- Visitors can board the vintage cars, sit at the wheel of a city bus, step through a time tunnel of turnstiles, and explore changing exhibits that highlight the cultural, social and technological history – and future – of mass transit.
Price: Around $10. Get tickets here. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
6- The Met Cloisters
- The Cloisters, a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is America's only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of the Middle Ages.
- Features multiple ornate gardens with a wide variety of plants, herbs, and trees
- See The Unicorn Tapestries, made in the late 1400's
Price: Around $30. Get tickets here. Closed on Wednesdays.
7- Tenement Museum
- Explore stories of tenement dwellers through guided tours of two historic buildings, 97 and 103 Orchard Street, and their Lower East Side neighborhood.
- Also, offer walking tours of the surrounding area
Price: Ar
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Welcome to the Better Together Here podcast with your host,
Devin. And Ashley?
Helping you make the most of your time in New York City,
everyone. And welcome to today's episode
of the Better Together Here podcast.
My name is Devin. And my name is Ashley.
And in today's episode, we're diving into some of New York
City's hidden museum treasures. We're going to look at 7:00
(00:22):
overlooked museums that are outside your kind of standard
Museum of Natural history, MoMA,Met, and some of the more
popular ones that you've probably already heard of.
New York City is massive and there are so many different
types of museums. There's pretty much a museum for
every different category that you could think of, so we're
going to give you guys some of our insight into seven of the
(00:45):
ones that we like. In this episode, we'll be
talking about a wide variety like Ashley mentioned, George
Washington's favorite Tavern, massive Unicorn tapestries
dating back to the 1400s, and even what it was like to live in
a cramped tenement building as an immigrant in New York in the
1860s. So let's get right into it.
All right? You've probably heard us mention
(01:05):
multiple different things on ourpodcast about how much we love
dogs. We moved to New York City with
three dogs. As crazy as that sounds.
We sold our home, pretty much all of our belongings and rented
A Sprinter style van with all ofour belongings in our three dogs
and moved to New York City. Unfortunately, two of our dogs
have now passed away since the time that we've moved here.
(01:27):
Scout is still with us, our yellow Labrador retriever.
All that to say, we absolutely love dogs.
Dogs are very important part of our life.
And so when we heard about this first museum, we were very
excited to check it out. And that is is the AK C's Museum
of the Dog. If you're not familiar,
especially if you're from out ofthe country, AKC is the American
Kennel Club. They are kind of the de facto
(01:50):
dog institution in the United States, especially when it comes
to, you know, recognizing official breeds, those types of
things. The museum was founded in 1982,
originally as part of the AKC headquarters in New York City.
A few years after that, the museum actually went to Saint
Louis for about 30 years and then came back to New York City
in its original location. We loved the Museum of the Dog
(02:11):
when we went there. It was very nice because it was
a rainy day, which going to museums on a rainy day, one of
the best things you can do. Unfortunately, if you were to go
somewhere like the Met or the MOMa, they're going to be
thousands and thousands of otherpeople with that same idea.
We went to the Museum of the Dog, not very many people.
Yeah, I think there were like, Idon't know, 5 or less people in
(02:32):
the whole thing. Yeah, not.
Maybe a few more. Did we go during the pandemic?
Yeah, it. Was like in the, it was when
things were starting to open back up again.
So it was part of why it wasn't as crowded.
But I mean I can't. Imagine it being like super
crowded like the MAD or the MoMAare.
No, this could be a good option if it's a rainy day and you
don't want to be like packed in like sardines with a bunch of
(02:53):
other people at a museum. As you can guess, this museum is
all about dogs. There are thousands of
paintings, sculptures, historical information.
The website says they have 7, a 1700 piece collection and then a
4000 volume library. So I believe, I think it was
like two or three floors and there's kind of, you know,
different exhibits as you're going along.
And then towards the end was this just massive library of all
(03:17):
dog related books. So I would say if you are a dog
lover or you just like, you know, museums covering more
unique topics, this is a great, great option.
They've had some awesome exhibits historically they had a
Meet Balto exhibit, presidentialdogs, Dogs that serve, and
plenty of others. So definitely worth checking out
the Museum of the Dog. Tickets are around $15.00.
(03:40):
The museum is closed Mondays andTuesdays, but we highly
recommend checking out Museum ofthe Dog.
Next on our list is Francis Tavern.
Francis Tavern is the oldest barand restaurant in New York City.
It was started in 1762. Yes, you heard that correctly,
1762. Older than America itself.
And the building where Francis Tavern is was originally built
(04:03):
by a family in 1719. So we're talking well before
America existed as a country. It was purchased by Francis,
Samuel Francis in 1762. As I actually mentioned, that's
kind of the official date that it became Francis Tavern with
the bar in the restaurant. So you might be thinking, OK,
why are we talking about a Tavern when we are doing a list
of unique museums? Reason being is that on the
(04:27):
second and third floor of Francis Tavern, there is a
museum. It's called Francis Tavern
Museum. It covers a lot of the
historical events that have happened, New York in its
infancy, the surrounding area, the way that this building tied
in, for example, nine days afterthe last British soldiers left
(04:48):
American soil. This was in 1783.
George Washington invited the officers of the Continental Army
to join him in the long room of the Francis Tavern to bid them
farewell. That's probably the most iconic
piece of history that is tied into the 2 Francis Tavern.
But amongst other things, in 1785, it was leased to the
(05:09):
Confederation Congress for use as office space for the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of War.
And if you think about 1785, what was happening in America, a
newly formed country establishing itself in the
world, and the fact that the Department of Foreign Affairs
was housed in the upstairs of this Tavern, it's just it's kind
of a wild thing to think about. One of the parts of the museum,
(05:30):
they kind of have it set up to look like how the Tavern was set
up at the time in the late 1700s.
So it's kind of cool to like, just walk into a room and be
thrown back into, I don't know, kind of imagining what that
scene would look like with all of those men basically planning
how the country was gonna look. Yeah, pretty historical stuff.
(05:52):
And in 1965, the building was designated as a New York City
landmark, and in 1977, the entire block was designated as a
historic district on the National Register of Historic
Places. As mentioned, museum on the
upstairs on the main floor, there are multiple bars and
restaurants. So there is the Independence
(06:13):
Bar, the Talmage Room, Lafayette's Hideout Bar, the
Piano Bar, and a whiskey bar. So they have kind of these
different unique pieces all within this one big building.
So it's nice because you can go and have a good bite.
Their restaurant is great. We've talked about it before on
other episodes. They have great beer selection,
good food, all that stuff. And then you can check out the
(06:34):
actual museum upstairs. And tickets are only $10, and
they have some free options, I believe, on the weekends.
I think it was like Saturday at 1:00 and Sunday at 2:00 PM.
You can only buy tickets at the museum, but we'll link to where
you can get all that info in theshow notes.
And it's open every day from 12:00 to 5:00 PM.
This is down in the Financial District, almost the
(06:54):
southernmost part of Manhattan. This would be a great museum to
check out if you had just done the Staten Island Ferry to go
and see the Statue of Liberty. You could do it before or after.
You could do a little museum, have some lunch.
Sounds like a great afternoon tome, but highly recommend making
a reservation in the restaurant.This is also a really pretty
(07:17):
festive place to go during like if you happen to be here during
Christmas time, they decorate very nicely for Christmas and
there's Christmas lights and garlands and a Christmas tree
and very festive we're. Going to take a quick break to
mention our free transportation guide.
If you were coming to New York City for the first time or the
10th time and you need a refresher on how to get around
the Big Apple, this is the answer.
(07:37):
It is 100% free and it covers everything from navigating the
subway, getting a taxi, getting to and from the airports, biking
around the city, and all the things that are important to
make sure you maximize your timein New York City.
So go to bettertogetherhere.com and click the button that says
free navigation guide to sign up.
And next on our list is the Museum at Eldridge St.
So the museum at Eldridge Streetis actually just inside the
(08:00):
historic Eldridge St. synagogue that was built in 1887.
And this synagogue was actually the first that was built
specifically for use as a synagogue by Eastern European
immigrants in America. So there's a lot of deep history
to it. The ground floor when you go in
and you kind of start exploring the museum, there's some kind of
(08:21):
back story in history to the people who immigrated to this
area and kind of what's going onthere.
There are two options when you go to the museum at Eldridge
Street. They are both the same price.
There's a self-guided and then there's one that's led by an
expert. Definitely opt for the expert
LED tour because they're going to get give you so much deep
(08:41):
history and information that youwill not get just if you're
walking around on your own and tickets are only 15 bucks.
But what I love about the museumat Eldridge Street is that not
only was there a ton of deep history, but the architecture
was absolutely unbelievable. And one of the main pieces, if
you go to their website, you cansee it just this beautiful
ornate stained glass that was kind of on the upper back part.
(09:04):
So if you were there in the synagogue, looking towards
where, you know, people would have been standing and talking
behind them, it's just this absolutely beautiful stained
glass window. Again, opt for the expert LED
tour, extremely knowledgeable guides.
The group that we went with on this tour, I think it was only
eight or nine of us at most. Definitely worth checking out
(09:26):
the museum at Eldridge Street ifyou want a piece of history of
this area on like kind of the Lower East Side Jewish culture,
understanding just the history of this part of New York.
Ashley doesn't have anything to add to this 'cause she hasn't
been. Yeah, she.
Wants to go You went on a date with TI.
Went on bro date with my friend T.
(09:48):
Was this the same day you guys went to the Titanic thing?
Different day. That's a story for another day
too. The greatest picture ever taken.
OK and that leads us to this episode.
You'll have to check it out segment.
The next stop is Blue Haven South.
Blue Haven South. We visited a couple weeks ago to
watch the final four of the women's NCAA tournament.
(10:11):
This is actually down kind of inthe same general area of the
most recent two museums we've talked about museum at Eldridge
St. and the Francis Tavern downtown financial District
area. This part was great.
It was massive. There was like 3 completely
different kind of rooms that were happening.
(10:32):
So many TV's this would be a great spot to go if you want to
watch sports which is what we went there for.
But great viewing experience forsports.
The staff was super nice and very attentive.
They had a massive like beer selection, great cocktails for
reasonable prices and the food was spectacular.
Yeah, we had nachos. We tried some of their fries.
(10:54):
Waffle, fries, waffle. Fries.
I mean we were there for like 2 full college basketball games.
We were there for like 4 or fivehours but they took a.
Great care of us and they had a beer tower.
They did have a beer tower which.
We love a beer tower. It's a great value if you go
with like 4 or more people who are planning on drinking beer.
I mean, beer towers are almost always the best option because
(11:14):
they price it as if you're goingto get like 7 or 8.
But we got, I think 10 beers outof that beer tower.
I mean, it was definitely the best value.
If you're going when you know there's going to be an important
game on where it might be busy, we definitely recommend getting
a reservation. Ashley was able to text them
right? I texted them for a reservation
and they were very responsive and very nice and we ended up
(11:36):
like doubling the size of our party and it was not an issue.
I was just texting them and updating them.
Great experience. One of the reasons that we chose
to go to Blue Haven South for this NCAA Final four-game is
because they were playing the games.
First of all, sometimes it's hard to find a sports bar that
will play women's sports and they were playing, not only
playing it on the big TV's, but they were also playing the
(11:58):
sound, which is sometimes hard to find.
A lot of times even if they havethis game on that you want to
watch, they won't be playing with sound.
So I just thought it was cool that they were pro women's
sports and having people supportwomen's sports.
So that is this episode. You'll have to check it out.
Segment Blue Haven South in the financial district.
All right, and now back to hidden museum treasures stand.
(12:21):
Clear of the closing doors. Please.
All right. Next on our list is the Museum
of Jewish Heritage. I believe the full title for
this museum is Museum of Jewish Heritage, a Memorial to the
Holocaust. So it's specifically focused on
the Holocaust. Obviously it goes into context
(12:42):
before and after that. From their website, I think they
gave a great description, it says.
As a place of memory, the museumenables Holocaust survivors to
speak through recorded testimonyand draws on rich collections to
illuminate Jewish history and experience as a public history
institution. It offers intellectually
rigorous and engaging exhibitions, programs and
educational resources. I think that last part is
(13:05):
important to emphasize here thatlike, it's a museum about the
Holocaust. So it is going to be very
thought provoking. It's going to be a very like
deep emotional experience. It's not light viewing, right?
If you're if you're looking for somewhere fun, go to Museum of
the Dog. If you're looking for something
more intellectual, Museum of Jewish Heritage is a great great
option. If you go on a weekday, expect
that it's going to be a little bit more crowded because a lot
(13:26):
of students do their field tripsthere.
But on that note, they do have aspecial exhibit called the
Rescue in Denmark, which is geared a little bit more towards
children. As an adult, you get a lot out
of it too, but it gives you a different perspective on the
Holocaust. It explains how influential
Denmark was in actually housing a lot of the people that were
able to escape from the Holocaust and that whole like
(13:49):
rescue mission that happened that I had never heard of.
And it is kind of geared more towards children.
So it'll take you through like the lives of a few different
kids at that point, and then youfollow and get updates on what
happened to those kids throughout the experience.
Very, very interesting exhibit. And another part that I liked at
the Museum of Jewish Heritage was just the way that they
(14:10):
painted context about there was like a whole kind of section
about Nazism and how it came to be and, you know, what kind of
allowed it to flourish. And I think that in today's day
and age, it is important for us to understand and remember how
those things happened historically so that we can
avoid them, you know, in today'sworld and into the future.
(14:33):
So tickets for this around $18.00.
It's closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays, so just make sure
that it's open the day you're planning on going.
Next on our list is the New YorkTransit Museum.
OK, we will admit this is the only one on the list that we
have not been to, but it is so popular and on, you know, so
many recommended lists that we've kind of read through and
(14:56):
on forums and it's somewhere we've actually talked about
going before we even lived here.And I'm kind of surprised we
haven't been yet. Yeah, this has been on our list
for a long time and I don't knowhow we haven't gone.
This is our reminder that we need to go.
Yeah, so this is maybe more for us than for you, but you would
enjoy it as well, probably. It is the New York Transit
Museum. I love the subway.
(15:17):
I love the history and context and just story of like the fact
that back in the 19, like early 1900s, late 1800s, they were
building subways. Like I think about right now and
I just think about the little bit of technology that they had
at that time compared to today. And they were still able to pull
(15:37):
this off and be able to transport people from all across
New York City. And at the time, it was very
important as well to allow people who lived kind of in the
outer areas to come into Manhattan to work.
Like, it just made such a massive difference in New York
City as a whole. So what's cool about the New
York Transit Museum is it's actually inside of an authentic
(16:00):
1936 subway station in Downtown Brooklyn.
And the museum. It spans a full city block on a
working platform and is home to a rotating selection of 20
vintage subway and elevated carsdating back to 1907.
When you go, you can board the vintage cars, sit the sit at the
wheel of a city bus, step through a time tunnel of
(16:21):
turnstiles and explore all the different exhibits.
It's really just this kind of cross section of culture,
society, technology and history just all coming together via
mass transit. And everything I've read about
it, people absolutely love it. Yeah, I feel like there's
nothing that's more New York than the subway.
(16:43):
And it's well documented that New York City would not be what
it is today if not for the subway.
Like Can you imagine today, all these millions of people getting
place to place just on the street?
I mean it wouldn't work. It would not work and it would
not be what it is today if people couldn't get in and out
of the city, get around the city.
On that note, I'll try to link, I'll try to remember to link to
(17:05):
There's this wonderful New York Times article and they made it
into a podcast version on. So if you have not listened to
the Daily, it's a kind of news podcast.
But on Sundays they do what theycall the Sunday read.
And it's basically one of the long form articles that they
turn into an audio version. And there's one it's like a 45
to 60 minute deep dive about thehistory of the subway and how it
(17:29):
influenced where people could live and what places were
affluent and which ones weren't,and all the different kind of
effects that it had on the city and the people who lived here.
I believe it's called a case forthe Subway I.
Think so. Because I think the one of the
main purposes of the article is to talk about, A, how important
the subway is to New York City, and, B, how a lot of it is
(17:50):
falling into absolute disrepair and how we don't have enough
funding, apparently, to fix it. Yeah.
And how the system is so easily breakable because a lot of this
technology is from 100 years ago.
Yeah. And it's so disruptive when they
have to, like, shut down the line for a day or a week or a
month to fix things. It was very interesting to hear
(18:12):
something that's so important, that is also so breakable.
Yeah. And and to tighten to modern day
as well. This is why congestion pricing
in New York City is a thing right now.
If you're not familiar with it, basically congestion pricing is
putting a tax or fee on anybody who enters Manhattan South of, I
(18:32):
believe it's 70th St. or something like that. 60th, 60th
St. I could be wrong.
Yeah. Basically, if you come into the
heart of Manhattan, you pay a congestion toll.
And the goal of that is to, number one, reduce the number of
cars on that are on the St. #2, increase ridership of the subway
and of the bus system. And #3 and actually maybe kind
(18:55):
of the main one is to use that congestion pricing fees and
tolls to help fund the MTA. Of course, like most things, it
is very politicized. There's some people who hate it,
some people who love it. We will plug that.
If you like learning about thesetypes of things, even if you
don't live in New York City, butif you like understanding like
what's happening in New York andhow these things tie in like
(19:17):
historically into the present day, you should definitely
subscribe to our newsletter. We on most newsletter sends, we
talk something historical and something current in regards to
like the news. You can sign up a Better
Together here.com back slash newsletter.
We e-mail just once a week and then we also go over things like
these types of articles or when we post the new podcast, we
(19:38):
mention those things. So make sure you sign up for
that. So that's the New York Transit
Museum, very integral part of New York City.
And that leads us to another very vital, important.
Staple. Staple.
In New York, Daily life, the bodega.
And that is this episode's New York Know how, depending on
(20:02):
where you live. In the United States, you
probably would think of a bodegamostly as like a convenience
store. In most of the United States
where you drive, convenience stores are usually associated
with a gas station. So for example, you know, a 711
usually has a place to get gas. Or if you go to a Chevron, there
is a quote UN quote convenience store that is a part of it.
(20:22):
Bodegas are different in the sense that they pack so much
into such a small space, and they're almost never associated
with gas stations because there are only like a couple gas
stations in all of Manhattan. Again, this is from the New York
Basic Tips and Etiquette book that we have mentioned many,
many times by Nathan W Pile. This is #92 and it says
miniaturization is what New Yorkers do best.
(20:45):
And then it said what? It says, what is a bodega?
And it has a picture, and it says grocery plus sandwich shop,
plus unique international snack selection.
And then there's kind of this magic, and it all combines into
one being squeezed into a tiny space.
And then it also says, sorry, nobathroom.
Yeah, bodegas are not gonna havea bathroom for you.
(21:05):
So don't go to a bodega looking for a bathroom.
But a bodega might have a cat. Often this is a whole.
It's something I. Didn't know.
Yeah. Before moving to New York City,
like, people were, like, making jokes about a bodega cat.
And I was like, what? And they were like, oh, most
bodegas, you go in, there's a cat.
Yeah. Because the cats keep the mice
away. Yes, and they're cute.
(21:26):
And they're cute. But like, you'll just be walking
down an aisle and there's a cat just hanging out.
For once in my life, I'm going to recommend going on TikTok and
searching bodega cat. I'm sure there's phenomenal
content about bodega cats outside of the cats.
Like we mentioned, when you go into a bodega, it's a place
where you can buy all kinds of different groceries, whether it
be snacks or soda or cereal or. A gallon of milk.
(21:50):
A gallon of milk. I mean, it would probably be the
most expensive gallon of milk you've ever purchased.
But there also is almost always a deli that is a part of it.
So you can get a bacon, egg and cheese.
You can get a lunch sandwich, You can get salads.
You can get all kinds of different food options that's
like freshly made right there infront of you.
Bodegas are a staple of New YorkCity, and you'll probably run
(22:14):
into one. You don't need to like look up
where a bodega is. You probably like on your phone,
you can just literally look up with your eyes and you will
probably see a bodega on a corner.
So when you're in New York, check out a bodega, get a
sandwich from a bodega, get a drink, get a bodega beer.
If you're going to a sporting event or a concert or something,
get a bodega beer beforehand. They're just magical in their
(22:37):
own special way. Do you know that they call Coral
Anthony Towns the bodega cat? I did not know that.
Who's that? The Internet.
The Internet Knicks fans called him Bodega Cat.
I love it. So a real live bodega cat that's
7 foot something? Yeah, I don't think he could be
in a bodega all the time. He'd run out of space because
(22:58):
he's too large. I think he could figure it out.
He's figured out a lot of thingsin his life being that large.
He could be a bodega cat. OK, that's his episodes.
New York know how All about bodegas.
OK, back to our last two museums.
All right, 6th on our list, second to last.
(23:18):
One of our favorites is the Met Cloisters.
So you've probably heard of the Met.
It is on the Upper East Side, arguably the most popular famous
museum in Manhattan, in New YorkCity, probably in the United
States, one of the most famous in the world.
But the Met Cloisters is a branch of the Met that is in the
(23:39):
very upper part of Manhattan. It is about as far north into
Manhattan as you can go before you run into the Bronx.
And it is situated on top of a hill that is big.
And we'll kind of tell you why. But it is a amazing museum.
And it's actually America's onlymuseum dedicated exclusively to
(24:00):
the art of the Middle Ages. So if for whatever reason you
hate the Middle Ages, First off,we'd like to know why, but
second off, you shouldn't go here.
But if you like the Middle Ages,you should definitely go here.
What type of building is this in?
Because to me, when I went, it felt like a castle mixed with
like a monastery. Yeah, it feels, it feels a bit
(24:21):
like a monastery. One of the things I really like
at the Met Cloisters is they have a beautiful garden area
that's gorgeous year round. Lot of different types of plants
and herbs and flowers. Really nice area to go and walk
around, especially on a nice day.
Yeah. And and another thing that I
think is just unique about the Cloisters compared to like any
other museum we're going to talkabout, you get just these
(24:43):
amazing views of New York, not necessarily like buildings in
skyline, but it is situated up on a hill and you can see out
over the Hudson River and you can kind of see a cross into
Jersey. And if you go at the right time
that the trees are beautiful, especially in the fall, the
changing leaves. I mean, it's the museum itself
(25:06):
is great. There are some really cool
exhibits and art and sculptures.But like the views are
phenomenal. On that note, if you take the
subway up, you can actually get there very quickly because the A
line goes pretty much from Columbus Circle to like 100.
And I wanna say 10th St., it's only like 4 or five stops.
(25:28):
If you get on at Columbus Circleon the A train, it's only like 4
or five stops to the stop that you need for the cloister.
So it's very, very fast despite it being very far away because
there is that like Super Expressthat goes through.
But once you get there, when youget off the subway, it kind of
pops you off at this park. You have to take this long walk.
(25:48):
It's kind of steep it it's a good little hike, frankly, to
get up to the top, but it's beautiful and you know, if
you're physically able, it's a great option.
If that type of long walk is a problem for you for whatever
reason, you can just take the subway, get off the subway and
then call an Uber or Lyft or a taxi for that final leg because
(26:10):
cars can drive up to the very top, so you can get dropped off
right at the actual entrance. I mean, I believe that there's a
bus that goes directly to the front, but it's quite a long bus
ride and it's probably not like recommended as especially if
you're coming here and you're not super familiar, but you can
take the subway and then either walk up or take an Uber or taxi
(26:30):
up. One of the most famous parts of
the MEC Cloisters is the Unicorntapestries.
They date back to the late 1400sI believe from the Netherlands.
Absolutely intricate, detailed, beautiful tapestries that are
huge too. They take up like entire walls.
(26:51):
Yes, the details on the Unicorn Tapestries are crazy, and like
Devin said, they truly are like the size of museum walls, so
quite a sight to behold. And there's multiple of them and
they kind of tell these stories.Just very, very iconic.
Worth checking out. Of all the museums we've talked
about, this is one of the more expensive options.
(27:12):
Tickets are around $30.00. I would say it's worth it.
Just plan on spending enough time to make it worth your time
there. And it is closed on Wednesday,
so don't try to head up there onWednesday.
For New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut residents, you
do have a pay as you wish option, so that is an option.
If you do live in one of those states or you know someone that
does, invite them to come with you and get the discount.
(27:35):
All right. And last on our list is one that
we have been to a couple times and have really truly enjoyed
each time, and that is the Tenement Museum.
If you're not familiar with the word tenement, basically they
were housing apartments or buildings that were built
specifically for mostly very lowincome immigrants.
(27:57):
Since the dawn of New York City,there have been immigrants that
have been coming in from all over the world and especially in
the 18, like the mid to late 1800's, the early 1900s, as
there, you know, as transportation was improving
with boats and trains and whatever it may be.
There was a lot of people comingto New York and there was a
(28:17):
shortage of housing and tenementbuildings were the option.
They were often very, very smallunits, very cramped, not the
best living conditions, not verysafe living conditions in a lot
of ways. There are a couple options of
like kind of the tours that you can do.
There are walking tours of the surrounding area.
Those are OK. I wouldn't say that that would
(28:38):
be like top of my list. The thing that I think is more
fun is the building or the actual tenement tours.
Basically, it's store explores stories of tenement dollars
through guided tours of two historic buildings, 97 and one O
3 Orchard St. and some of the surrounding neighborhood.
And basically those two different buildings that you go
(29:00):
through, a lot of it is kept in its original state.
They've obviously done a lot of renovations to make sure it's
safe to go in, But one of the kind of tenant buildings is made
to resemble life in 1869 and theother is made to resemble life
in 19 O 2. So you get kind of, you know,
you can do both tours, but thereare separate tours, but you can
kind of see the what life would be like in those areas, in these
(29:23):
tiny tenement buildings where itwas often, you know, families of
seven living in a basically one bedroom apartment.
A lot of times they'll feature like an actual family that lived
in that building and talk about what the dad did and what the
mom did and how many children they had.
And this is where this is probably where the kids slept
and it's like five children and parents in like a 10 by 8 room
(29:50):
in like kind of a dilapidated building.
And their stories and their roles in the family and how they
like made things work and where they were from and the languages
they spoke. Very, very cool museum to
actually physically step into anold piece of history.
And these are the actual tenement buildings in which
these people lived in that have been preserved.
(30:12):
And one thing I love about the tenement museum is that it is a
little bit more expensive. Again, it's that like $30 price
point. But to explore the tenement
buildings, you can't just go in on your own.
So they're all LED by an expert who is giving you the context,
giving you the history, telling you the stories of these people.
If you're the type of person whojust loves like hearing stories
(30:32):
about history and about the olden days, quote UN quote, like
this is the museum for you. It is just full of so many rich
stories. As mentioned, prices are around
$30. Buy tickets in advance because
it is led by a tour guide. You need to get a Times ticket,
so make sure that you do that. Really, really recommend
(30:53):
checking out the Tenement Museum.
We hope that you found a new museum that you want to visit
when you come to New York City or on your next adventure in New
York. These are seven options that are
a little bit off the beaten path, are going to give you a
unique look into pieces of New York history that you're not
going to get at the Standard Metor Museum of Natural History or
(31:15):
the MO Ma or the Guggenheim. These are going to help you dive
often into just the pieces of New York City's history that
made it what it was, especially if you know Francis Tavern, the
Transit Museum, the Tenement Museum, like you are learning
about the history of New York and what helped shape it into
the metropolis that it is today.If you have not already, please
(31:38):
leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Rate US on Spotify. As mentioned, you've got to sign
up for our newsletterbettertogetherhere.com
back slash newsletter. We e-mail once a week
information about getting aroundNew York City, our favorite
spots, a little bit of history, a little bit of current news,
and always some dog tacks of ourdogs exploring New York City.
(31:59):
And other than that, we'll catchyou on the next episode.
Welcome to the Better Together Here podcast with your host,
Devin. And Ashley?
Helping you make the most of your time in New York City,
everyone. And welcome to today's episode
of the Better Together Here podcast.
My name is Devin. And my name is Ashley.
And in today's episode, we're diving into some of New York
City's hidden museum treasures. We're going to look at 7:00
(00:22):
overlooked museums that are outside your kind of standard
Museum of Natural history, MoMA,Met, and some of the more
popular ones that you've probably already heard of.
New York City is massive and there are so many different
types of museums. There's pretty much a museum for
every different category that you could think of, so we're
going to give you guys some of our insight into seven of the
(00:45):
ones that we like. In this episode, we'll be
talking about a wide variety like Ashley mentioned, George
Washington's favorite Tavern, massive Unicorn tapestries
dating back to the 1400s, and even what it was like to live in
a cramped tenement building as an immigrant in New York in the
1860s. So let's get right into it.
All right? You've probably heard us mention
(01:05):
multiple different things on ourpodcast about how much we love
dogs. We moved to New York City with
three dogs. As crazy as that sounds.
We sold our home, pretty much all of our belongings and rented
A Sprinter style van with all ofour belongings in our three dogs
and moved to New York City. Unfortunately, two of our dogs
have now passed away since the time that we've moved here.
(01:27):
Scout is still with us, our yellow Labrador retriever.
All that to say, we absolutely love dogs.
Dogs are very important part of our life.
And so when we heard about this first museum, we were very
excited to check it out. And that is is the AK C's Museum
of the Dog. If you're not familiar,
especially if you're from out ofthe country, AKC is the American
Kennel Club. They are kind of the de facto
(01:50):
dog institution in the United States, especially when it comes
to, you know, recognizing official breeds, those types of
things. The museum was founded in 1982,
originally as part of the AKC headquarters in New York City.
A few years after that, the museum actually went to Saint
Louis for about 30 years and then came back to New York City
in its original location. We loved the Museum of the Dog
(02:11):
when we went there. It was very nice because it was
a rainy day, which going to museums on a rainy day, one of
the best things you can do. Unfortunately, if you were to go
somewhere like the Met or the MOMa, they're going to be
thousands and thousands of otherpeople with that same idea.
We went to the Museum of the Dog, not very many people.
Yeah, I think there were like, Idon't know, 5 or less people in
(02:32):
the whole thing. Yeah, not.
Maybe a few more. Did we go during the pandemic?
Yeah, it. Was like in the, it was when
things were starting to open back up again.
So it was part of why it wasn't as crowded.
But I mean I can't. Imagine it being like super
crowded like the MAD or the MoMAare.
No, this could be a good option if it's a rainy day and you
don't want to be like packed in like sardines with a bunch of
(02:53):
other people at a museum. As you can guess, this museum is
all about dogs. There are thousands of
paintings, sculptures, historical information.
The website says they have 7, a 1700 piece collection and then a
4000 volume library. So I believe, I think it was
like two or three floors and there's kind of, you know,
different exhibits as you're going along.
And then towards the end was this just massive library of all
(03:17):
dog related books. So I would say if you are a dog
lover or you just like, you know, museums covering more
unique topics, this is a great, great option.
They've had some awesome exhibits historically they had a
Meet Balto exhibit, presidentialdogs, Dogs that serve, and
plenty of others. So definitely worth checking out
the Museum of the Dog. Tickets are around $15.00.
(03:40):
The museum is closed Mondays andTuesdays, but we highly
recommend checking out Museum ofthe Dog.
Next on our list is Francis Tavern.
Francis Tavern is the oldest barand restaurant in New York City.
It was started in 1762. Yes, you heard that correctly,
1762. Older than America itself.
And the building where Francis Tavern is was originally built
(04:03):
by a family in 1719. So we're talking well before
America existed as a country. It was purchased by Francis,
Samuel Francis in 1762. As I actually mentioned, that's
kind of the official date that it became Francis Tavern with
the bar in the restaurant. So you might be thinking, OK,
why are we talking about a Tavern when we are doing a list
of unique museums? Reason being is that on the
(04:27):
second and third floor of Francis Tavern, there is a
museum. It's called Francis Tavern
Museum. It covers a lot of the
historical events that have happened, New York in its
infancy, the surrounding area, the way that this building tied
in, for example, nine days afterthe last British soldiers left
(04:48):
American soil. This was in 1783.
George Washington invited the officers of the Continental Army
to join him in the long room of the Francis Tavern to bid them
farewell. That's probably the most iconic
piece of history that is tied into the 2 Francis Tavern.
But amongst other things, in 1785, it was leased to the
(05:09):
Confederation Congress for use as office space for the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of War.
And if you think about 1785, what was happening in America, a
newly formed country establishing itself in the
world, and the fact that the Department of Foreign Affairs
was housed in the upstairs of this Tavern, it's just it's kind
of a wild thing to think about. One of the parts of the museum,
(05:30):
they kind of have it set up to look like how the Tavern was set
up at the time in the late 1700s.
So it's kind of cool to like, just walk into a room and be
thrown back into, I don't know, kind of imagining what that
scene would look like with all of those men basically planning
how the country was gonna look. Yeah, pretty historical stuff.
(05:52):
And in 1965, the building was designated as a New York City
landmark, and in 1977, the entire block was designated as a
historic district on the National Register of Historic
Places. As mentioned, museum on the
upstairs on the main floor, there are multiple bars and
restaurants. So there is the Independence
(06:13):
Bar, the Talmage Room, Lafayette's Hideout Bar, the
Piano Bar, and a whiskey bar. So they have kind of these
different unique pieces all within this one big building.
So it's nice because you can go and have a good bite.
Their restaurant is great. We've talked about it before on
other episodes. They have great beer selection,
good food, all that stuff. And then you can check out the
(06:34):
actual museum upstairs. And tickets are only $10, and
they have some free options, I believe, on the weekends.
I think it was like Saturday at 1:00 and Sunday at 2:00 PM.
You can only buy tickets at the museum, but we'll link to where
you can get all that info in theshow notes.
And it's open every day from 12:00 to 5:00 PM.
This is down in the Financial District, almost the
(06:54):
southernmost part of Manhattan. This would be a great museum to
check out if you had just done the Staten Island Ferry to go
and see the Statue of Liberty. You could do it before or after.
You could do a little museum, have some lunch.
Sounds like a great afternoon tome, but highly recommend making
a reservation in the restaurant.This is also a really pretty
(07:17):
festive place to go during like if you happen to be here during
Christmas time, they decorate very nicely for Christmas and
there's Christmas lights and garlands and a Christmas tree
and very festive we're. Going to take a quick break to
mention our free transportation guide.
If you were coming to New York City for the first time or the
10th time and you need a refresher on how to get around
the Big Apple, this is the answer.
(07:37):
It is 100% free and it covers everything from navigating the
subway, getting a taxi, getting to and from the airports, biking
around the city, and all the things that are important to
make sure you maximize your timein New York City.
So go to bettertogetherhere.com and click the button that says
free navigation guide to sign up.
And next on our list is the Museum at Eldridge St.
So the museum at Eldridge Streetis actually just inside the
(08:00):
historic Eldridge St. synagogue that was built in 1887.
And this synagogue was actually the first that was built
specifically for use as a synagogue by Eastern European
immigrants in America. So there's a lot of deep history
to it. The ground floor when you go in
and you kind of start exploring the museum, there's some kind of
(08:21):
back story in history to the people who immigrated to this
area and kind of what's going onthere.
There are two options when you go to the museum at Eldridge
Street. They are both the same price.
There's a self-guided and then there's one that's led by an
expert. Definitely opt for the expert
LED tour because they're going to get give you so much deep
(08:41):
history and information that youwill not get just if you're
walking around on your own and tickets are only 15 bucks.
But what I love about the museumat Eldridge Street is that not
only was there a ton of deep history, but the architecture
was absolutely unbelievable. And one of the main pieces, if
you go to their website, you cansee it just this beautiful
ornate stained glass that was kind of on the upper back part.
(09:04):
So if you were there in the synagogue, looking towards
where, you know, people would have been standing and talking
behind them, it's just this absolutely beautiful stained
glass window. Again, opt for the expert LED
tour, extremely knowledgeable guides.
The group that we went with on this tour, I think it was only
eight or nine of us at most. Definitely worth checking out
(09:26):
the museum at Eldridge Street ifyou want a piece of history of
this area on like kind of the Lower East Side Jewish culture,
understanding just the history of this part of New York.
Ashley doesn't have anything to add to this 'cause she hasn't
been. Yeah, she.
Wants to go You went on a date with TI.
Went on bro date with my friend T.
(09:48):
Was this the same day you guys went to the Titanic thing?
Different day. That's a story for another day
too. The greatest picture ever taken.
OK and that leads us to this episode.
You'll have to check it out segment.
The next stop is Blue Haven South.
Blue Haven South. We visited a couple weeks ago to
watch the final four of the women's NCAA tournament.
(10:11):
This is actually down kind of inthe same general area of the
most recent two museums we've talked about museum at Eldridge
St. and the Francis Tavern downtown financial District
area. This part was great.
It was massive. There was like 3 completely
different kind of rooms that were happening.
(10:32):
So many TV's this would be a great spot to go if you want to
watch sports which is what we went there for.
But great viewing experience forsports.
The staff was super nice and very attentive.
They had a massive like beer selection, great cocktails for
reasonable prices and the food was spectacular.
Yeah, we had nachos. We tried some of their fries.
(10:54):
Waffle, fries, waffle. Fries.
I mean we were there for like 2 full college basketball games.
We were there for like 4 or fivehours but they took a.
Great care of us and they had a beer tower.
They did have a beer tower which.
We love a beer tower. It's a great value if you go
with like 4 or more people who are planning on drinking beer.
I mean, beer towers are almost always the best option because
(11:14):
they price it as if you're goingto get like 7 or 8.
But we got, I think 10 beers outof that beer tower.
I mean, it was definitely the best value.
If you're going when you know there's going to be an important
game on where it might be busy, we definitely recommend getting
a reservation. Ashley was able to text them
right? I texted them for a reservation
and they were very responsive and very nice and we ended up
(11:36):
like doubling the size of our party and it was not an issue.
I was just texting them and updating them.
Great experience. One of the reasons that we chose
to go to Blue Haven South for this NCAA Final four-game is
because they were playing the games.
First of all, sometimes it's hard to find a sports bar that
will play women's sports and they were playing, not only
playing it on the big TV's, but they were also playing the
(11:58):
sound, which is sometimes hard to find.
A lot of times even if they havethis game on that you want to
watch, they won't be playing with sound.
So I just thought it was cool that they were pro women's
sports and having people supportwomen's sports.
So that is this episode. You'll have to check it out.
Segment Blue Haven South in the financial district.
All right, and now back to hidden museum treasures stand.
(12:21):
Clear of the closing doors. Please.
All right. Next on our list is the Museum
of Jewish Heritage. I believe the full title for
this museum is Museum of Jewish Heritage, a Memorial to the
Holocaust. So it's specifically focused on
the Holocaust. Obviously it goes into context
(12:42):
before and after that. From their website, I think they
gave a great description, it says.
As a place of memory, the museumenables Holocaust survivors to
speak through recorded testimonyand draws on rich collections to
illuminate Jewish history and experience as a public history
institution. It offers intellectually
rigorous and engaging exhibitions, programs and
educational resources. I think that last part is
(13:05):
important to emphasize here thatlike, it's a museum about the
Holocaust. So it is going to be very
thought provoking. It's going to be a very like
deep emotional experience. It's not light viewing, right?
If you're if you're looking for somewhere fun, go to Museum of
the Dog. If you're looking for something
more intellectual, Museum of Jewish Heritage is a great great
option. If you go on a weekday, expect
that it's going to be a little bit more crowded because a lot
(13:26):
of students do their field tripsthere.
But on that note, they do have aspecial exhibit called the
Rescue in Denmark, which is geared a little bit more towards
children. As an adult, you get a lot out
of it too, but it gives you a different perspective on the
Holocaust. It explains how influential
Denmark was in actually housing a lot of the people that were
able to escape from the Holocaust and that whole like
(13:49):
rescue mission that happened that I had never heard of.
And it is kind of geared more towards children.
So it'll take you through like the lives of a few different
kids at that point, and then youfollow and get updates on what
happened to those kids throughout the experience.
Very, very interesting exhibit. And another part that I liked at
the Museum of Jewish Heritage was just the way that they
(14:10):
painted context about there was like a whole kind of section
about Nazism and how it came to be and, you know, what kind of
allowed it to flourish. And I think that in today's day
and age, it is important for us to understand and remember how
those things happened historically so that we can
avoid them, you know, in today'sworld and into the future.
(14:33):
So tickets for this around $18.00.
It's closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays, so just make sure
that it's open the day you're planning on going.
Next on our list is the New YorkTransit Museum.
OK, we will admit this is the only one on the list that we
have not been to, but it is so popular and on, you know, so
many recommended lists that we've kind of read through and
(14:56):
on forums and it's somewhere we've actually talked about
going before we even lived here.And I'm kind of surprised we
haven't been yet. Yeah, this has been on our list
for a long time and I don't knowhow we haven't gone.
This is our reminder that we need to go.
Yeah, so this is maybe more for us than for you, but you would
enjoy it as well, probably. It is the New York Transit
Museum. I love the subway.
(15:17):
I love the history and context and just story of like the fact
that back in the 19, like early 1900s, late 1800s, they were
building subways. Like I think about right now and
I just think about the little bit of technology that they had
at that time compared to today. And they were still able to pull
(15:37):
this off and be able to transport people from all across
New York City. And at the time, it was very
important as well to allow people who lived kind of in the
outer areas to come into Manhattan to work.
Like, it just made such a massive difference in New York
City as a whole. So what's cool about the New
York Transit Museum is it's actually inside of an authentic
(16:00):
1936 subway station in Downtown Brooklyn.
And the museum. It spans a full city block on a
working platform and is home to a rotating selection of 20
vintage subway and elevated carsdating back to 1907.
When you go, you can board the vintage cars, sit the sit at the
wheel of a city bus, step through a time tunnel of
(16:21):
turnstiles and explore all the different exhibits.
It's really just this kind of cross section of culture,
society, technology and history just all coming together via
mass transit. And everything I've read about
it, people absolutely love it. Yeah, I feel like there's
nothing that's more New York than the subway.
(16:43):
And it's well documented that New York City would not be what
it is today if not for the subway.
Like Can you imagine today, all these millions of people getting
place to place just on the street?
I mean it wouldn't work. It would not work and it would
not be what it is today if people couldn't get in and out
of the city, get around the city.
On that note, I'll try to link, I'll try to remember to link to
(17:05):
There's this wonderful New York Times article and they made it
into a podcast version on. So if you have not listened to
the Daily, it's a kind of news podcast.
But on Sundays they do what theycall the Sunday read.
And it's basically one of the long form articles that they
turn into an audio version. And there's one it's like a 45
to 60 minute deep dive about thehistory of the subway and how it
(17:29):
influenced where people could live and what places were
affluent and which ones weren't,and all the different kind of
effects that it had on the city and the people who lived here.
I believe it's called a case forthe Subway I.
Think so. Because I think the one of the
main purposes of the article is to talk about, A, how important
the subway is to New York City, and, B, how a lot of it is
(17:50):
falling into absolute disrepair and how we don't have enough
funding, apparently, to fix it. Yeah.
And how the system is so easily breakable because a lot of this
technology is from 100 years ago.
Yeah. And it's so disruptive when they
have to, like, shut down the line for a day or a week or a
month to fix things. It was very interesting to hear
(18:12):
something that's so important, that is also so breakable.
Yeah. And and to tighten to modern day
as well. This is why congestion pricing
in New York City is a thing right now.
If you're not familiar with it, basically congestion pricing is
putting a tax or fee on anybody who enters Manhattan South of, I
(18:32):
believe it's 70th St. or something like that. 60th, 60th
St. I could be wrong.
Yeah. Basically, if you come into the
heart of Manhattan, you pay a congestion toll.
And the goal of that is to, number one, reduce the number of
cars on that are on the St. #2, increase ridership of the subway
and of the bus system. And #3 and actually maybe kind
(18:55):
of the main one is to use that congestion pricing fees and
tolls to help fund the MTA. Of course, like most things, it
is very politicized. There's some people who hate it,
some people who love it. We will plug that.
If you like learning about thesetypes of things, even if you
don't live in New York City, butif you like understanding like
what's happening in New York andhow these things tie in like
(19:17):
historically into the present day, you should definitely
subscribe to our newsletter. We on most newsletter sends, we
talk something historical and something current in regards to
like the news. You can sign up a Better
Together here.com back slash newsletter.
We e-mail just once a week and then we also go over things like
these types of articles or when we post the new podcast, we
(19:38):
mention those things. So make sure you sign up for
that. So that's the New York Transit
Museum, very integral part of New York City.
And that leads us to another very vital, important.
Staple. Staple.
In New York, Daily life, the bodega.
And that is this episode's New York Know how, depending on
(20:02):
where you live. In the United States, you
probably would think of a bodegamostly as like a convenience
store. In most of the United States
where you drive, convenience stores are usually associated
with a gas station. So for example, you know, a 711
usually has a place to get gas. Or if you go to a Chevron, there
is a quote UN quote convenience store that is a part of it.
(20:22):
Bodegas are different in the sense that they pack so much
into such a small space, and they're almost never associated
with gas stations because there are only like a couple gas
stations in all of Manhattan. Again, this is from the New York
Basic Tips and Etiquette book that we have mentioned many,
many times by Nathan W Pile. This is #92 and it says
miniaturization is what New Yorkers do best.
(20:45):
And then it said what? It says, what is a bodega?
And it has a picture, and it says grocery plus sandwich shop,
plus unique international snack selection.
And then there's kind of this magic, and it all combines into
one being squeezed into a tiny space.
And then it also says, sorry, nobathroom.
Yeah, bodegas are not gonna havea bathroom for you.
(21:05):
So don't go to a bodega looking for a bathroom.
But a bodega might have a cat. Often this is a whole.
It's something I. Didn't know.
Yeah. Before moving to New York City,
like, people were, like, making jokes about a bodega cat.
And I was like, what? And they were like, oh, most
bodegas, you go in, there's a cat.
Yeah. Because the cats keep the mice
away. Yes, and they're cute.
(21:26):
And they're cute. But like, you'll just be walking
down an aisle and there's a cat just hanging out.
For once in my life, I'm going to recommend going on TikTok and
searching bodega cat. I'm sure there's phenomenal
content about bodega cats outside of the cats.
Like we mentioned, when you go into a bodega, it's a place
where you can buy all kinds of different groceries, whether it
be snacks or soda or cereal or. A gallon of milk.
(21:50):
A gallon of milk. I mean, it would probably be the
most expensive gallon of milk you've ever purchased.
But there also is almost always a deli that is a part of it.
So you can get a bacon, egg and cheese.
You can get a lunch sandwich, You can get salads.
You can get all kinds of different food options that's
like freshly made right there infront of you.
Bodegas are a staple of New YorkCity, and you'll probably run
(22:14):
into one. You don't need to like look up
where a bodega is. You probably like on your phone,
you can just literally look up with your eyes and you will
probably see a bodega on a corner.
So when you're in New York, check out a bodega, get a
sandwich from a bodega, get a drink, get a bodega beer.
If you're going to a sporting event or a concert or something,
get a bodega beer beforehand. They're just magical in their
(22:37):
own special way. Do you know that they call Coral
Anthony Towns the bodega cat? I did not know that.
Who's that? The Internet.
The Internet Knicks fans called him Bodega Cat.
I love it. So a real live bodega cat that's
7 foot something? Yeah, I don't think he could be
in a bodega all the time. He'd run out of space because
(22:58):
he's too large. I think he could figure it out.
He's figured out a lot of thingsin his life being that large.
He could be a bodega cat. OK, that's his episodes.
New York know how All about bodegas.
OK, back to our last two museums.
All right, 6th on our list, second to last.
(23:18):
One of our favorites is the Met Cloisters.
So you've probably heard of the Met.
It is on the Upper East Side, arguably the most popular famous
museum in Manhattan, in New YorkCity, probably in the United
States, one of the most famous in the world.
But the Met Cloisters is a branch of the Met that is in the
(23:39):
very upper part of Manhattan. It is about as far north into
Manhattan as you can go before you run into the Bronx.
And it is situated on top of a hill that is big.
And we'll kind of tell you why. But it is a amazing museum.
And it's actually America's onlymuseum dedicated exclusively to
(24:00):
the art of the Middle Ages. So if for whatever reason you
hate the Middle Ages, First off,we'd like to know why, but
second off, you shouldn't go here.
But if you like the Middle Ages,you should definitely go here.
What type of building is this in?
Because to me, when I went, it felt like a castle mixed with
like a monastery. Yeah, it feels, it feels a bit
(24:21):
like a monastery. One of the things I really like
at the Met Cloisters is they have a beautiful garden area
that's gorgeous year round. Lot of different types of plants
and herbs and flowers. Really nice area to go and walk
around, especially on a nice day.
Yeah. And and another thing that I
think is just unique about the Cloisters compared to like any
other museum we're going to talkabout, you get just these
(24:43):
amazing views of New York, not necessarily like buildings in
skyline, but it is situated up on a hill and you can see out
over the Hudson River and you can kind of see a cross into
Jersey. And if you go at the right time
that the trees are beautiful, especially in the fall, the
changing leaves. I mean, it's the museum itself
(25:06):
is great. There are some really cool
exhibits and art and sculptures.But like the views are
phenomenal. On that note, if you take the
subway up, you can actually get there very quickly because the A
line goes pretty much from Columbus Circle to like 100.
And I wanna say 10th St., it's only like 4 or five stops.
(25:28):
If you get on at Columbus Circleon the A train, it's only like 4
or five stops to the stop that you need for the cloister.
So it's very, very fast despite it being very far away because
there is that like Super Expressthat goes through.
But once you get there, when youget off the subway, it kind of
pops you off at this park. You have to take this long walk.
(25:48):
It's kind of steep it it's a good little hike, frankly, to
get up to the top, but it's beautiful and you know, if
you're physically able, it's a great option.
If that type of long walk is a problem for you for whatever
reason, you can just take the subway, get off the subway and
then call an Uber or Lyft or a taxi for that final leg because
(26:10):
cars can drive up to the very top, so you can get dropped off
right at the actual entrance. I mean, I believe that there's a
bus that goes directly to the front, but it's quite a long bus
ride and it's probably not like recommended as especially if
you're coming here and you're not super familiar, but you can
take the subway and then either walk up or take an Uber or taxi
(26:30):
up. One of the most famous parts of
the MEC Cloisters is the Unicorntapestries.
They date back to the late 1400sI believe from the Netherlands.
Absolutely intricate, detailed, beautiful tapestries that are
huge too. They take up like entire walls.
(26:51):
Yes, the details on the Unicorn Tapestries are crazy, and like
Devin said, they truly are like the size of museum walls, so
quite a sight to behold. And there's multiple of them and
they kind of tell these stories.Just very, very iconic.
Worth checking out. Of all the museums we've talked
about, this is one of the more expensive options.
(27:12):
Tickets are around $30.00. I would say it's worth it.
Just plan on spending enough time to make it worth your time
there. And it is closed on Wednesday,
so don't try to head up there onWednesday.
For New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut residents, you
do have a pay as you wish option, so that is an option.
If you do live in one of those states or you know someone that
does, invite them to come with you and get the discount.
(27:35):
All right. And last on our list is one that
we have been to a couple times and have really truly enjoyed
each time, and that is the Tenement Museum.
If you're not familiar with the word tenement, basically they
were housing apartments or buildings that were built
specifically for mostly very lowincome immigrants.
(27:57):
Since the dawn of New York City,there have been immigrants that
have been coming in from all over the world and especially in
the 18, like the mid to late 1800's, the early 1900s, as
there, you know, as transportation was improving
with boats and trains and whatever it may be.
There was a lot of people comingto New York and there was a
(28:17):
shortage of housing and tenementbuildings were the option.
They were often very, very smallunits, very cramped, not the
best living conditions, not verysafe living conditions in a lot
of ways. There are a couple options of
like kind of the tours that you can do.
There are walking tours of the surrounding area.
Those are OK. I wouldn't say that that would
(28:38):
be like top of my list. The thing that I think is more
fun is the building or the actual tenement tours.
Basically, it's store explores stories of tenement dollars
through guided tours of two historic buildings, 97 and one O
3 Orchard St. and some of the surrounding neighborhood.
And basically those two different buildings that you go
(29:00):
through, a lot of it is kept in its original state.
They've obviously done a lot of renovations to make sure it's
safe to go in, But one of the kind of tenant buildings is made
to resemble life in 1869 and theother is made to resemble life
in 19 O 2. So you get kind of, you know,
you can do both tours, but thereare separate tours, but you can
kind of see the what life would be like in those areas, in these
(29:23):
tiny tenement buildings where itwas often, you know, families of
seven living in a basically one bedroom apartment.
A lot of times they'll feature like an actual family that lived
in that building and talk about what the dad did and what the
mom did and how many children they had.
And this is where this is probably where the kids slept
and it's like five children and parents in like a 10 by 8 room
(29:50):
in like kind of a dilapidated building.
And their stories and their roles in the family and how they
like made things work and where they were from and the languages
they spoke. Very, very cool museum to
actually physically step into anold piece of history.
And these are the actual tenement buildings in which
these people lived in that have been preserved.
(30:12):
And one thing I love about the tenement museum is that it is a
little bit more expensive. Again, it's that like $30 price
point. But to explore the tenement
buildings, you can't just go in on your own.
So they're all LED by an expert who is giving you the context,
giving you the history, telling you the stories of these people.
If you're the type of person whojust loves like hearing stories
(30:32):
about history and about the olden days, quote UN quote, like
this is the museum for you. It is just full of so many rich
stories. As mentioned, prices are around
$30. Buy tickets in advance because
it is led by a tour guide. You need to get a Times ticket,
so make sure that you do that. Really, really recommend
(30:53):
checking out the Tenement Museum.
We hope that you found a new museum that you want to visit
when you come to New York City or on your next adventure in New
York. These are seven options that are
a little bit off the beaten path, are going to give you a
unique look into pieces of New York history that you're not
going to get at the Standard Metor Museum of Natural History or
(31:15):
the MO Ma or the Guggenheim. These are going to help you dive
often into just the pieces of New York City's history that
made it what it was, especially if you know Francis Tavern, the
Transit Museum, the Tenement Museum, like you are learning
about the history of New York and what helped shape it into
the metropolis that it is today.If you have not already, please
(31:38):
leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Rate US on Spotify. As mentioned, you've got to sign
up for our newsletterbettertogetherhere.com
back slash newsletter. We e-mail once a week
information about getting aroundNew York City, our favorite
spots, a little bit of history, a little bit of current news,
and always some dog tacks of ourdogs exploring New York City.
(31:59):
And other than that, we'll catchyou on the next episode.
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